Design
Google Docs — Collaborative Real-Time Text Editor
Design a collaborative document editor where multiple users can edit the same document simultaneously with real-time sync and no lost updates.
01 - Why interviewers ask this
It's the definitive "design Google Docs" question — interviewers use it specifically to see whether you know OT or CRDTs, since naive locking or last-write-wins simply doesn't work for true concurrent editing.
02 - Where this system exists in the real world
You interact with this design every day.
Google Docs / Notion real-time collaborative editing
Collaborative whiteboard and design tools
Pair-programming and live-coding platforms
03 - What you'll master
Solve this once. Know it forever.
Understand Operational Transformation vs. CRDTs
Design conflict-free concurrent edit merging
Reason about offline edits and reconnection
04 - What you'll design
6 functional · 3 non-functional requirements.
Multiple users edit the same document concurrently in real time
5 more requirements inside
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05 - Companies that ask this
You may face this exact question in your next interview.
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